A Strange Land
by The Lord of War
Summary: Geralt of Rivia is teleported to the world of Azeroth during it's most darkest hour. How will his presence affect its outcome.


**Chapter 1:A New Home**

A war hammer crashed into his sword with tremendous force, forcing the man down onto one knee. The blow nearly shattered the sword and the arm behind it, but the crawling runes that sprawled across its blade gave it the strength to withstand the terrible blow. Rolling deftly away from the next attack, the man surged to his feet, before striking viciously at his opponent. His sliver sword slid cleanly through the boiled leather armour of the Redenians soldier, burying four feet of cold metal into his opponent's belly.

Kicking the body off his sword, Geralt turned to survey the battle below the walls of the castle. Most of the first wave of Redenians attackers had been killed, but Geralt could still see more soldiers arriving on the ground below the walls of the castle, bringing more and more of the red soldiers into the battle. Around fifty feet in below of them, he could see humans, dwarves, and elves mustering there men to withstand another assault. They were horribly outnumbered, but those few men below of Geralt were the last defence of the fortress; the only thing stopping the Redenians from raping the women and murdering the men. Before they sack the place.

They looked like the heroes of lore, standing under the light of the morning sun in glittering reddish-black armour, their red shields emblazoned with the golden eagle of the kingdom of Redenia. Heroic though they looked, Geralt knew that they were nothing more, than a bunch of cutthroats. Sure they would sooner die to the last man, then disobey their King, but that doesn't make them honorable man. At some point he and the other poor and desperate defenders of the city who had managed to survive thus far would have to either flee or die.

Taking a moment to catch his breath, he looked over to his companions and, not for the first time, he prayed that they would reach their destination quickly.

His companion wore leather armor, boots and gloves. But the thing that really catches ones eye, is the red bandanna, he wore covering his hair and left eye. He carried two steel swords and a wooden bow.

"Geralt how much longer until we reach the witch's chambers?"

"I don't know Iorveth," his eyes glance's over to his other companion/prisoner" why don't you ask her?"

"My chambers 'elf' are only two more staircases up." Replied the beautiful raven haired sorceress, Philippa Eilhart. She wore a loose red and white robe, that exposed quite a bit of cleavage, along with a golden necklace. She would've been one of the most beautiful women in all the northern kingdoms if her eyes hadn't been gouged out.

"Good, witch the sooner were are done, the sooner we can be rid of you?" Spat Iorveth as he forcefully shoved Philippa forward up another two steps of stairs.

They walked the rest of the way in silence, and thankfully without any more hazardous interruptions. Until finally they reached a large lavish, room decorated with what best could be described as a mystical theme.

"Alright, we're here." Informed Geralt to the blind Philippa as they walked into the room."Now where's the chest?"

"On the roof upstairs."

"Well then, keep moving" pushed Iorveth.

"Your manners are lacking elf." Stated Philippa as she was roughly shoved forward.

After a few seconds. They reached the roof top. And found a red chest, in the middle of some kind of mystical circle, symbol on the floor. Around the circles, there were seven candles.

"Is that the chest?" Asked Geralt as he looked at the chest.

She turns to look at Geralt with her bloody empty eyesockets.

"Describe it?"

"I-Its heavy, covered in runes." Geralt replied feeling a bit of shame asking a recently blind person. Such a question." There's a circle and candles on the floor."

"Yes, the very chest that Jeffrey Monk, kept his most valuable treasures... The dagger's inside."

"How do we bloody open it!" Asked Iorveth impatiently. Philippa turned to look at Iorveth.

"The candles must be lit in a specific order," began Philippa." I've figured it out, my notes are downstairs... After that, a simple spell will suffice. Remove my shackles."

Iorveth didn't like the sound of that one bite." Geralt, due you know, this ritual?"

"Only a mage can perform it." Philippa quickly answered before Geralt.

"Shut up!" Iorveth shouted loudly.

"I need to look at the notes first. I'll lit candles, then will remove the dimeritium." And with that he began walking downstairs in search of Philippa's notes.

Several minutes later after finding Philippa's notes and lighting the candles.

"That should do it." Stated Geralt as he looked at the glowing diagram on which he stood inside of." Iorveth unshackle her."

Iorveth grudgingly did as he was told.

Philippa quickly rubbed her wrists, as soon as she was unshackle. Before then, beginning to perform the spell. But stopped when she heard a sword ,being removed from its sheath.

"Try anything, and I take your head off, witch." Iorveth said as he held his sword above Philippa head.

Ignoring him. She began to chant." Said'aubwe asidas'ido isndoail." The circle in which Geralt stood in shun even brighter as she chanted her spell.

"You can lift the spell binding her, but she would never be human." Philippa muttered as she quickly glanced at Iorveth.

"She's more than a dh'oine.. She's someone who restored hope to the Aen Seidhe." Defended Iorveth looking between Philippa and the circle.

"She's a monster. If you think she can rule a realm of human, dwarves and elves herself-"

"Thaess aep, daerienn!" Cursed Iorveth in Elvish.

Quickly stopping the spell." You'll suffer the consequences of your foolishness." Before then rapidly waving a arm at Iorveth.

"Look out, Geralt! Argh!" Iorveth screamed in pain as he was struck by magical lightning that came from Philippa fingertips.

"Iorveth!" Screamed Geralt as Iorveth fell to the floor unconscious.

"Oh, don't worry about him.. He'll live you, however, won't be as fortunate." Stated Philippa as she stared at him with those bloody empty eyes of hers." You see, I lied. There was no spell needed to open the chest.. The circle you see, glowing beneath you. Isn't part of a ritual. ..It's a trap."

"What kind of trap?" He asked with a blank expression.

"Did Triss, every tell you what happens when you teleport without putting in the right coordinates?" She asked with a smirk on her face.

Geralt thought back on what small amount of information Triss shared with him about teleportation. "She said without the right coordinates... You could end up anywhere in the world.'

"That's right anywhere," began Philippa." You could find yourself safely in the field of flowers or inside a raging volcano. Or maybe you'll find your molecules mixed with that of a rock... It's anyone's guess."

"Why leave it to chance?"

"I'm not. The chances of you, surviving this is astronomically low.. That small chance of survival is a cruel glimmer of hope."

She snigger as the circle grew brighter and brighter.

"Farewell Geralt of Rivia.. Any last words before your-"

"Go Fuck yourself. You fake breasted cunt. You piece of magical shi-"

In that moment a portal appeared where the stone ground had been. Geralt fell through the portal and into darkness, he could see nothing but darkness all around him, but he felt his body being propelled at speeds he couldn't believe, it felt like his body was going to be torn apart.

Pulling in more than one direction at a time, it was like going up, down, backward and forwards, side to side all at the same time, it felt agonizing, and in the moment it began it was over, Geralt felt himself return to real space and then he felt himself hit the ground hard. He couldn't even lift himself up after what happened; all he remembered before darkness took him was a clear blue sky.

The bright sunlight filtered in through the tree branches. The heat and light of the sun hit the face of the single occupant in the forest the occupant in question was none other than Geralt the White Wolf. Geralt was lying on his stomach with his head and arms hanging off the edge of a rock. He felt the light shinning on his face and as a result he began to stir from his deep sleeps.

"….Ugh…..Ugh" he started to groaned as his senses returned to him. His eyes parted and his sight came into focus and the first thing that he saw was the lush forest filled with exotic trees and chattering local wildlife , "Ugh…..where am I" he croaked as he began to sit up."Am alive?... Guess my luck still holds.. astronomically low my ass."

"Now where the hell am I?"

* * *

**Quel'thalas border **

" Dammit…. Don't these things ever tire?"

Valeera focused all of her energy in trying to evade the Undead that were following her, it had been a serious strike of bad luck for her when her group had been spotted by those Undead winged creatures. But when she thought that she had finally escaped them and was finally going to get a chance to relax, she found herself facing again a different number of Undead who apparently had been scouting ahead of the main force.

The Undead had attacked several, of Quel'thalas border towns yesterday. She had been sent with several other dozen scouts. To survey the damage, done by the undead and to determine the exact number of undead mustering at their border. She had arrived with four others at the border town of Springfall earlier this morning. Only to find it's building completely demolished. Its citizens, nowhere to be seen and its streets covered in blood. After thoroughly searching the town for survivors they moved deeper towards the border. Only to find the undead horde camped right at the borderline.

_"Dear gods…"_ She remembers whispering as she looked beyond what was below her. A huge snaking line stretched into the horizon and beyond. She or anyone in her group couldn't even estimate their number; thousands, tens of thousands. Maybe more…

Immediately, the leader of her group ordered them to return to Eversong and report what they've seen. Not less than an hour on their journey home. A shadow suddenly flitted over them. Craning her head up towards the blue sky, her mouth fell agape. What looked like a black clouds in the distance became a flock of birds, and then a flight of horrifying creatures. Their skin was of stone and their faces bore grotesque expressions. With wings stretched out far, they came with blinding speed.

The flying creatures spotted her group. They quickly slid down the trees and began to retreat. The creature dipped down into the leaves and gave chase. With a speed faster than elves speeding through the woods, it quickly began to catch up to them. Two of her companions stopped and shot arrows, at the creatures killing two of them. Only for a few moments later the creatures. With a bone crunching thud, the monsters rammed into them both, pulling its talons up and sinking them deep into their chests. She could still hear their screams as they were dragged high into the air, never to be seen again.

All the while her superior yelling at her to run faster as more of those winged monstrosities gave chase. Several minutes later, when her third companion was killed her superior ordered them to split up to maximize their chances of one of them, surviving to report back what they have found. And with that order. She was all alone except for the monsters. She ran, twisted and turned leading her chaser through crossing streams and clearings, darting through gloves, ducking under trees and vines. Eventually, through skill and a little bit of luck she lost them an hour from splitting up. She hide in a tall bush for several minutes to catch her breath. As soon as she catched her breath she walked off the bush. As a Scourge foot patrol happened to pass by.

The very second they saw her, the Undead began to purse her and she was quick to try and escape as best she could, she was not in the mood to find herself in the clutches of the living dead as she had heard her fair share of horror stories concerning these Undead when they marched through the human kingdoms and especially during the fall of Lordaeron. She managed to turn and face the Undead and finding one to be alive. A mage by the look of it decided to find out what the bloody hell were they invading Quel'thalas for.

"What the heck are you Undead doing here in Quel'thalas of all places? Haven't you already conquered all of Lordaeron isn't that enough?"

The leading Mage laughed in a very sinister fashion at the High Elf Ranger and spoke out.

"Foolish elf, we care not for land, we follow the divine ones will. Soon all will be his through conversion or subjugation."

The minute she heard that coming from the black robe mage before her, Valeera felt a wave of dread run through her very core, she had heard enough to recall the horror stories about how many of her brethren, who had been traveling through the human kingdoms had faced. From a friend she heard a tale, of a human grandfather desperate battle to slay the ghoulish corpse of his own son. Then she had heard of a young boy no more than a child being ripped apart by a hungering mop of undead led by the boy's own mother, who later had been set afire and destroyed along with the rest of the scourge by the surviving defenders. She heard tales of family having to fight family. Whole graveyards with their buried dead arising from their graves to hunt and kill the living. And those were the lucky ones according to her Elvish brethren, who had survived returning home. The ones that the Scourge managed to capture alive were taken to be used for daemonic experiments. Many who were taken to the undead base tried to commit suicide before they reached that hellish place. Preferring a quick death to whatever fate awaited them there.

Those stories made her all the more fearful and desperate as she reached for an acid potion to throw into that leering mage's face as she shouted.

"In your damn and disgusting dreams you undead bastard!"

The Ranger quickly tossed the acid at the mages group and it exploded in a cloud of mist that made the mage scream in great pain, however, while her actions had given her some room, it had also made the ten other undead angry as they attacked her with their arrange of metal weapons axes, swords, spears, and clubs the Ranger knew that she had to move quickly or else their weapons, while rusty, would be the death of her if they hit her just once. She grabbed her bow and several arrows and fired them at one of the Undead and forced them back from her

However her troubles were far from over as the Undead began to charge through the undergrowth, passing through several smaller trees and leaping over rocks to get to her and capture here, she could smell the melted flesh in the air, plus the violent yells that indicated that the black mage she had hit with the acid bomb was after her, and she could tell from the yells that the man was very angry with her.

She moved as quickly as she could, she knew that Undead were not exactly intelligent, unless commanded by someone and were slower than most, due to their decay but she had seen and heard how powerful they could be and how deadly they could become when they were roused and fully focused on something or someone. Not to mention the fact they never grow tired cause of them being dead and all. She moved as quickly as she could, however, that was when a undead skeleton appeared out of nowhere, and she stopped just in time to leap away to the side as it's weapon, a axe like some of the others came hard and fast on where she had been before.

She looked to see at least eight undead around her and when she looked to find herself being slowly surrounded by them and then the mage revealed a number of rotting ghouls that were hiding in a grove of trees next to him, from the way those ghouls hide, and acted showed they were being controlled through magic by that Mage who had to be a necromancer to control those undead. There were at least a half dozen and that was bad news to her.

_"It's sixteen against one….nine, are skeletons, one necromancer and a half dozen ghouls….curse my luck!"_

Valeera had no idea what to do in a situation like this, she had fought with many enemies before, she was no stranger to fighting, having earned how to fight as a Ranger and as a Rogue. And she had no problem with odds that much, but these kinds of odds were not in her favor, there was little doubt that she could escape this situation with stealth, as the mages magic spells could find her well enough. She looked at the Undead and the mage she had hit with the acid bomb, and it turned out that he was indeed the leader of the whole bunch as he yelled out orders in the Human tongue and the others who had surrounded her moved away.

She doubted that this leader was doing this out of mercy, and she was right as the man shouted out to her.

"You pay dearly for these wounds you have given me elf! I was planning on just killing you then resurrecting you as an undead. But now I'll taking you back to the Cult The Damned for experimentation!"

The High Elf tensed herself as she readied her swords, if she was going to die here and fail her mission, the least she could do was die fighting than let these abomination take her for their own. She readied her weapons and got prepared as the undead Scourge closed in.

However, that was when a crashing sound came right into the area that they were all in. The sudden sound coming from behind the undead forced everyone to look. Only to see a large dark blue cloud of smoke near a tree. Before anyone could say or do anything . The blue cloud of smoke started moving wildly before shrinking then-

**"BOOM!"**

Valeera looked away as the cloud of smoke exploded in a white light spraying off whitish blue smoke that encompassed half the area. But the strangest thing was the sudden drop in temperature. She felt as if she were in the middle of the harshest winter. After few seconds she looked in front only to gasp. The entire area in front of her and been frozen in ice. The trees, bushes, rocks, twigs, and even the grass itself had been completely frozen in ice. And most important for her the undead. They stood there frozen motionless, at the exact same position they been in when the smoke encompassed them.

_"By the Sun well...what happen to cause this-"_

Valeera was forced to dodge as a battle axe, came swinging towards her head. She had been so awestruck that she, had failed to notice the two surviving undead skeleton that were behind her. She dodged the first attack but as the second, came she drove her short sword through the skeletons neck, cutting the bone into. As the skeletons head fell to the ground. The second skeleton came charging in swinging his sword. But was stopped when what looked like to be a fireball struck him by the side. Blasting him towards a tree trunk hard so hard that immediately its skeleton structure broke apart into a pile of bones.

"Who's there?"

She got her answer as a figure appeared next to a frozen tree. The figure was a human male probably about six feet in height. Wearing studded black leather armor, with some metal knobs, leather pants and boots. Two metal spaulder a rerebrace and leather gauntlets with some metal. He carried two swords on his back. But the thing that stood out the most about him was his silver-ish white hair, his yellowish wolf eyes and pale skin.

"Are you all right, my lady?" Spoke the man as he walked towards her passing through several frozen undead.

"Who are you stranger?" Under normal circumstances she would've been thanking the man. But this wasn't a normal circumstance." What are you doing in Quel'thalas? You know, humans are forbidden from entering this place." It was common knowledge that besides diplomats with special permission from the King. No human, dwarves, or anyone else was allowed to set foot in Quel'thalas. To show just how serious they enforce this law that when the first human refugees came in droves, seeking asylum in Quel'thalas. The Ranger General, Sylvanas Windrunner, had taken some of them in, placing them in camps near the edge of the border, but eventually a disorientation barrier had to be placed along the geometry of the Runestones to prevent the masses from overrunning the border guards. And preventing them from entering Quel'thalas.

Geralt stopped in his tracks. Whenever someone says its forbidden it usually translate to its illegal. He hoped the person he just saved wasn't a figure of authority in this 'Quel'thalas' place that she spoke of. As he thought of how to respond he got a good look at her. She wore forest green and oak brown, a strange lightweight breastplate over shirt and breeches and a long cloak with a hood tossed back and leather gloves covered her arms to the elbow just as boost protected her legs to the knee. A slim sword hung on one hip, a pouch she warned at the other, and across her back were slung a longbow and a quiver of arrows. She had long blonde golden hair, blue eyes that glowed, she was fair skinned, but with a slight golden tan.

"I ask again stranger, what are you doing in Quel'thalas?" Her voice was lovely, magical and rich, and Geralt suspected it was pleasant even in anger.

"Forgive me, my lady, but I was traveling when a large undead group attacked me, forcing me flee in this direction." He lied knowing that the truth was even less believable. A sorceress tricked him and teleported him to gods nowhere. As he tried to retrieve a mystical dagger to save the life of his dragon companion.

Valeera nodded her head it wasn't uncommon, especially nowadays to catch a couple of humans trying to sneak into Quel'thalas for safety. Less than a week ago she had caught a family of humans trying to reach Silvermoon City. She had unfortunately been forced to arrest them and send them off to the border.

"Well then normally, I'd have to arrest you then deport you... But considering these are not normal circumstances and you just saved my life... I think it'll be alright to take you with me.. Well that is until I can find you passage on a ship heading towards a destination of your choice."

Slightly bowing," I thank you my lady for your leniency and understanding."

She waved a hand at him to come closer," No thanks are needed sir. You did after all, save my life." She spoke as Geralt walked towards her.

"If you don't mind me asking, my lady, where are we headed?" Geralt asked as he stopped in front of her.

"I am going to Goldenmist to report back what is happening in my kingdoms border and from there... Our journey ends. I'll be sent wherever I'm, needed and you'll be sent home." She gestured for him to move north and with that started walking with Geralt following behind.

"Sounds fair to me...So this kingdom Quel'thalas? Is it common for elves to serve in the military?"

The ranger stopped in her tracks and turn, with the most bug eyed expression Geralt had ever seen.

"Did I say something wrong?"

* * *

**Quel'thalas, Greenwood Pass**

Arthas looked on at the landscape of Quel'thalas. Great conifers and deciduous trees sprawled over the landscape, with a few open plains scattered about, usually housing elven shires and villages. The land had a mystical feel to it, ancient and wondrous. The last time he had been here he had been ten, joining his Master Sir Uther the Lightbringer on a diplomatic mission to try and appease the High Elves to remain in the Alliance. He was determined to make sure _this _mission succeeded.

"Have the elves we captured revealed anything useful?" Arthas asked. He had been interrogating hundreds of elves for the past two days but even the physical torture had not cracked any of their spirits. No matter who they were, farmers, shepherds, rangers or blacksmiths none of them have revealed anything. And that poses a severe problem. The last thing he wanted to do was go charging in blind.

"Nothing useful, my Lord."Replied one of the many members of the Cult of the Damned gathered around him.

"Dammit, this waiting vexes me... We should've just smashed through killing all in our way to the damn well." He shouted to all gathered around. This had been his original plan until Kel'thuzad convinced him otherwise.

"My Lord!"

Arthas, along with everyone else, turned to look as a member of the Cult of the Damned walk towards them. Behind him two undead soldiers dragged an Elven Ranger. The elves face was badly bloodied, his nose was obviously broken by the amount of blood that flow. And his fingers where smashed by their odd angle.

"We captured this scout less than half a mile from our camp."

Arthas looked at the elf as he was roughly thrown to the floor in front of him. Despite his situation. The elf remained completely calm. He looked at Arthas with an blank expression. The blood on his face dripping to the ground as he waited for Arthas acknowledgment.

"Where is the entrance to your lands, elf?" Arthas demanded.

The elf looked around the campsite before answering. He saw the camp decorated with the decapitated heads of captured elves, their heads placed on top of wooden spikes. Their headless bodies, piled together as high as a hill. And those were the lucky ones. To the edge of the camp lined up in single file, roles among roles of wooden stakes with an elf embedded in each one. Even though he could only see half of their faces he could see, the look of dread formerly entrenched on their faces as they were impaled.

"I ask again, elf where is the entrance to your lands?"

The elf's bloodstained lips curled into a smile of defiance. "The forest itself will not permit you to go farther. It fights alongside us. They protect our borders, and the enchanted Elf gates protect our capitol".

"Your precious gates will not stop me, any more than these trees, little elf"

This was getting nowhere. The prisoner would not answer properly. "Very well then" he said under his breath. He then motioned his hands and four ghouls instantly jumped on him, ravenously tearing his flesh from bone. They tore deeply with their bony claws.

Walking away from the screams, Arthas heard the voice of Kel'thuzad again. The necromancer's apparition appeared before him. "_The elves likely wait in ambush, Prince. You should be wary"_

"The frail elves do not concern me necromancer! Our forces are strengthened with every foe we slay" Arthas retorted.

"_Don't be too overconfident Death Knight. The elves must not be taken lightly"_the former necromancer preached.

"We'll see," an idea crossed his dark mind. Perhaps the necromancer's word holds wisdom." But perhaps your words hold wise counsel." He turned to look at his second-in-command, a former General from Lordaeron. His face was pale, worms could be seen passing through his rotting flesh.

"Sir Henry!" The undead General immediately stood at attention." You will take an advance force of roughly one thousand man. You are to seek out the enemy and draw them out of hiding. And should you discover any Elvish settlements along your way destroy them, slaughter all their inhabitants leave nothing standing in your path."

"As you command my Lord." The general saluted before leaving to gather his men.

_"A wise decision my prince."_

A smile crept to his face.

"I have wise advisers."

* * *

"Quiet now. No noise,''Ter'lij warned his brethren. They had made their way quickly through the trees, deep into Quel'thalas, but now his sharp nose warned him that elves were somewhere nearby. Accordingly, he slowed, said each foot carefully on the branch he trod, axis held tightly in his hands to avoid any chance of their rattling as he moved. He did not want the elves know they were there.

Not yet.

All around him the other forest trolls or as they prefer to be called Amani trolls. Crept just as quietly, weapons at the ready. Most of them wore grins, really, there triangular teeth, and Ter'lij understood completely. They were within the elves' own homeland, yet again, after twenty years. He could almost taste the anticipation.

The elves had plagued them far too long. Ever since the pale skinned, pointy, eared bastards at first appeared thousands of years ago, stealing territories from the vast Amani empire, they had claimed mastery of the lands' forests. As if they could match a troll for speed, strength and dextrerity! But the elves had several strong advantages, the greatest of this had been there accursed magic. The trolls had never encountered such magic before, and had not had a way to counter the elves mystical attacks or breach their arcane defenses.

Fortunately, the trolls had significantly out number them, and could overwhelm the hated elves by sheer numbers.

That is until the elves allied with the humans. Together the two pale races and shattered the Amani empire. They had laid waste to troll fortresses, and slaughter thousands of his ancestors. Before the elves his people had been numerous and powerful, and had controlled much of the land. Afterwards they had been scattered, a shadow of their former selves, and never possessed the sheer numbers to reclaim their stolen heritage.

Not even when they had allied with the Orcish Horde. Who had promised them vengeance. Sure allying with the Orcs had helped them greatly in their crusade to exterminate the elves once and for all. After all, the Horde invasion of the elves homeland twenty years ago had killed thousands of elves, perhaps tens of thousands. But in the end they had failed. The Horde had failed them.

But where the Orcs had failed. Perhaps the undead would succeed. His scouts had reported large numbers of undead amassing at the elves border. Anyone with half a brain could tell they mean to attack. The only question was when?

Ter'lij knew that an alliance with the undead was impossible. They were not like the orcs. They had a hatred for anything living. But maybe they could be used for his own ends. Yes, use the undead to weaken the elves, that's why he had his tribe assist the undead in their struggles. In the shadows, of course. He had his warriors remove certain obstacles that might hinder the undead advance. And so far his plan appeared to be working perfectly.

His nose suddenly twitched, warning him they were close. Ter'lij halted, raising one hand to signal a stop, and felt more than heard his brethren pausing as well. He peered down through the leaves, a sharp eyes piercing the gloom easily, and waited.

There! A flicker of movement appeared below, something passing into his range of vision on the forest floor. Whatever it was, it was cloaked in browns and greens like trees, but he caught a glimmer of pale color beneath. And it made no sound as it stepped, walking across leaves and brush as if they were smooth stone.

An elf!

Another emerge behind the first, and then a third and a fourth. Soon a whole hunting party was passing below, ten in all. And they did not look up. Secure in their own forest, even with the undead attacking their border. It did not occur to the elves to be worried this deep in.

Ter'lij grinned. This will be easier than he had thought.

Signaling is Kin he return his axes to their sheaths and dropped quietly to a lower branch, and swung from that one down to a third. I was less than twenty feet above the elves and could see them clearly, there cloaks streaming behind them. They carried the accursed bow and arrows of their kind slung across their backs, but their hands were empty. They did not suspect what lurked above them. Why should they? The undead were not known for their stealth. Bur trolls were.

Ter'lij drop down from the trees, drawing his axes as he moved. He landed easily on the balls of his feet, right between two elves, and slashed at both before they could react. His first blow took the one facing him in the throat, while his second blow bit deep into the skull of the one before him. Both, fell blood spraying into the leaves.

The other elves turned, shouting in surprise, and reached for their own weapons. But now his brothers and sisters fell upon them, axes and daggers, and clubs at the ready. The elves twisted and dodged, desperate to get enough space to draw their swords or string their bows, but the trolls did not give them the chance. The elves were quick but the trolls were taller and stronger, and grabbed the Rangers before they could get away.

One elf did managed to twist free. He took two quick steps and turned, using a tree for cover. Ter'lij expected the elf to go for the bow, but instead his hand fell to a long horn hanging from his belt. The Ranger lifted the horn to his lips and blew a mighty blast-but was cut short as one of the other trolls stabbed the elf in the stomach, and the blast turned into a paint wheeze at the Ranger collapsed, blood spilling from his mouth, as well as his gut.

The skirmishes was over. Ter'lij reached down and cut in ear from the first elf he slain, adding it to the pouch at his waist. Later he would try the ear and string it onto his necklace with the others, to show his prowess. But for now they had other tasks.

"Come,'' he told his warriors, who were laughing and amusing themselves by tearing off ears and hair and other parts from the following elves. Some had even cut off the elves heads. Several had appropriated the elves' long slender swords as trophies such weapons were pretty enough, but not sturdy enough for the trolls' powerful thrusts.

More elves be comin," Ter'lij warned them." Back ta the trees. We lead them on a chase, keep the busy.. Then we kill **them **all.' He grinned and his warriors answered with fierce expression of their own.

Quickly the forest trolls leaped up, grabbing low branches with their long fingered hands and pulling themselves up into the cover of the leaves. They swung up and away, leaving the bodies behind to rot in the sunlight. Their eyes alert and noses sniffing for any hint of approaching elves.

Ter'lij was not worried. He knew the other elves would soon come. Let them they would be ready. It had been a long time since he had spilled elf blood, almost twenty years. And these brief battles had renewed his thirst for more. His tribe felt the same, and many were snapping their jaws and flexing their fingers, eager for another fight with pale skined elves. Soon, Ter'lij assured himself quietly. Soon they would have a chance to kill as many elves as they want. So long as the elves focus all of their attention on the undead. And I'm sure they-

His nose began to twitch, again warning him there were elves close by. He grinned as he led his warriors, south to their new prey.

* * *

Geralt looked around the majestic forests of Quel'thalas the supposed home of high elves, or so says Valeera. Tall trees swayed gently, almost as if dancing to silent music, and their heavy boughs cast deep shadows upon the land, says that somehow seem peacefully rather than ominous. It was a beautiful scene, full of calm and quiet majesty.

"So your name is Geralt of Rivia?"

Geralt turned to look at the Elven ranger as she walked several paces in front of him. They walked in relatively silence except for the occasional small talk. She would however occasionally glance back at him. She wouldn't admit it, but she was either curious about his appearance or disturbed by it.

"That is correct, my lady."

"So you're a bastard, then," the Ranger asked bluntly.

"Pardon?" Geralt asked not quite sure he heard right.

"I meant no offense." She quickly informed." It's just common human custom to give the place name of birth to illegitimate children. Or so I've been told from my friends who live in Dalaran."

Geralt didn't know what to make of this. The more he talked with this Elven Ranger, the more confused he was. She served an Elven King of a kingdom named Quel'thalas. There is no Elvish kingdom not anymore anyways. They had all been conquered thousands of years ago, by human invaders. There were elves governing provinces in the Nilfgaardian Empire. But were under the command of the Emperor, that was as close as any elf could be king. Yet here was someone claiming otherwise. Could this kingdom Quel'thalas be located on some distant undiscovered continent? Possible.

"No my lady it's the name I chose for myself. My parents never named me."

"So you're an orphan, then?"

"Yes, I suppose that's accurately correct." Considering his parents most have left him on the doorsteps of the Witchers, keep this must be true.

"Am sorry to hear that.. It's a cruel fate to grow up without one's parents." She thought back to all those children who had lost both their parents during the second war. Her homeland had lost so many thousands of good people. When the Orcs and Trolls invaded their home that after the war had ended. They had to build dozens of orphanages for all the hundreds of children left parentless. Not to mention temporary homeless shelters for all the people whose homes were burned down during the war. It seemed to her as much as their people tried to hide it, they were plagued with the same problems as the rest of the lesser races.

"There's no need to feel sorry for me. I long learned to come to terms with it." Geralt never really cared about knowing who his parents were. They, after all, abandon him at the Witchers, doorsteps." How long before we arrive at this Goldenmist Village?"

"Oh, not long now. I'd say about maybe another two or three hours worth of walking and we should arrive." They had been walking without rest. Ever since they met up.

"So how long have you've been a Ranger?" Asked Geralt trying to keep the conversation going. He didn't particularly like the long pause of silence between conversations. Well, not when it involve a beautiful maiden.

"About for the past sixty years or so? How long have you been a sell-sword?"

"Sell-sword?"

Valeera stopped to look at him square in the eye." There's no need to deny it. I knew from the first moment I laid eyes, on you that you were a mercenary." She continued." You don't carry any kingdoms crest. You have no knowledge of foreign kings. You have no interest in politics and your clothes are worn, indicating you travel for many months."

"Hm, I guess there's no point in trying to hide it." In a way he wasn't lying. Most people considered Witchers to be nothing more than mercenaries that only deal with monsters, that people pay to get rid of. After all, very few Witchers would kill a monster for free. So she wasn't technically wrong.

"Ha! If you tried to hide it at all. You did a very-' Her ears twitched as she heard something moving through the trees above in a familiar pace. Before she could say anything Geralt drew his sword.

"So you heard them to?" The look of surprise on her face answered his question."Good for a moment there I thought I was just hearing things... there's probably about fifthteen in total... Not exactly sure what though."

"You can hear them-" Valeera's question was cut off as a tall figure dropped from the trees above. It lunged forward, a short hafted, long bladed axe in one hand, but Geralt had heard it just before its descent and was ready for it. He brought up his sword, parrying the blow, and spun to the side, neatly sidestepping it secondary attack a shorter axe. His sword arced about and removed the creature's head and it pitched forward, blood spilling wildly from his neck as his body, weapons clenched and all fell to the floor.

"Move!' Geralt ordered.

Valeera wide-eyed at the sudden bloodshed, nodded and turned away running as fast as her legs can take her.

They ran through the woods, as they heard laughter above them somewhere. Trolls Geralt suspected but much smaller than the ones he met. Not to mention more humanoid looking. They were following them, keeping pace on the branches above. No doubt they planned to drop down on him and Valeera and kill them both before they could reach safety. But the trolls didn't know that he'd made his living off of killing monsters that hundreds of men couldn't kill.

They continued running throughout the forest. Then Geralt saw a ribbon of silver ahead. A river! He put on a spurt of additional speed, Valeera matched his, and they burst from the trees onto the strip of open land beside the river. He could hear multiple trolls, dropping from the trees, no doubt by now they knew they would not be able to catch them before they reached the deep water... So fight it is.

"Nice chase, pale ones,' one of the trolls with double steel axes, who looked like the leader growled."But now you die?"

Hands reaching for them Geralt pushed Valeera back, causing her to fall into the river's edge. Good he needed her out of the way he immediately began casting a Igni sigh that would have incinerated the troll. If he had not stiffened and toppled backwards. A long shaft protruded from his neck.

Similar shafts struck the other trolls, felling them before they could retreat to the safety of the trees. Geralt turning back towards the river, once the last troll had fallen, glanced around and saw dozens of elves on the far bank, their bows still quivering from the recent archery. All dressed similarly as Valeera except for one. She wore a long green cloak and had a more ornate tunic then the others. She had long blonde hair, darker than Valeera, she had gray eyes and her chest was more noticeably bigger than Valeera's.

And she was also aiming her bow at Geralt neck, along with every other elf holding a bow. Geralt wisely raised his hands above his head and dropped his sword to the ground in front of him. But that didn't seem to appease the elves as they still aimed for his neck.

"Ranger Valeera are you alright?" Shouted the grey eyed elf. Even from across the river she radiated intensity, as if she could will the answers to appear.

Valeera who was still in the river when she shouted back." Yes Ranger-General."

"Who's your companion?" She asked, without lowering her bow.

"His was fleeing the undead before me meet," she began." He saved my life not once but **twice,** when I was cornered by the undead and now attacked by the trolls... I promised him safe passage through are lands, until I could find him passage on a ship"

The grey eyed elf raised an eyebrow at that." Really now? I had no idea you had that kind of authority.. Last I checked, only the King had that kind of authority."

Valeera actually grimace at the grey eyed elf's words."Y-you are right Ranger-General only the King has that kind of power... But surely we can make an exception for my friend here." Valeera jested towards Geralt and she stood up.

"And why is that? Just because he saved your life?" She asked, lowering her bow.

"Not just that General but for the information he helped me bring."

She stared into Valeera eye's before singling her rangers to lower their weapons. She jested for Valeera to cross the river." What information do you bring?"

Valeera cross the river before answering." I'm afraid General that the situation at the border is far worse than we feared.. This is no simple raiding group as we thought. The full might of the undead Scourge march upon Quel'thalas."

Their expressions immediately became one of dread notice Geralt. As he stood on the opposite side of the river watching the scene play out before him.

"Then we must evacuate all the outer villages." Immediately a male ranger rushed over to the grey eyed elf." Sylvanas we must buy our people enough time to evacuate to the inner gates."

The elf now known as Sylvanas looked solemnly at the ground before answering. "Yes you are correct Halduron give the order for all of are people, who live in outer provinces to evacuate to the inner gate."

"What about my companion? Asked Valeera

Sylvanas turned to look at him and quickly thought what to do with him.

"Bring him along, but under close eye and he's off the first ship available.. Is that understood?" She said in a tone that left no room for argument.

Both Valeera and Geralt nodded their heads.

"Good! Now let's get moving.. We have a war to prepare for?'

* * *

**Authors Note: This will be a story wholly set during the Third War. But with Geralt in it of course. If anyone has any suggestions I'd be happy to hear them. Also, if I make any mistakes about warcraft lore or Witcher please let me know. If anyone has any questions I'll be happy to answer them... Last but not least, review I like hearing form my readers.**


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